This weekend, we’ll lose an hour of sleep as the clocks jump forward.

This mean plenty of mums will be ringing in Mother’s Day (30 March) with their kids waking them up an hour earlier than normal. Oh joy.

While 60 minutes difference might not seem like much of a change (and indeed, some kids breeze through the clocks changing without a hiccup), Dr Hana Patel, resident sleep expert at Time4Sleep, said the change prompts our circadian rhythm to “re-calibrate”.

“It can take a few days for our body to adjust to our new sleep cycle,” she added. 

While most adults are used to their sleep schedules changing, it can be a little harder on children, added Dr Patel, as kids “thrive on routine and the clocks changing can interrupt their natural sleep schedule”.

So, what does she advise? 

Some sleep experts recommend incrementally shifting dinner time, and then bedtime, earlier by 15 minutes throughout the week.

However Dr Patel believes you don’t need to do much – and suggested it’s best to focus on being consistent with your child’s waking times throughout the week and weekend, rather than when they go to bed.

“Their natural sleep cycle should kick in again after a day or two,” she added.

Dr Patel does however advise parents of kids who don’t typically nap to avoid letting them nap on Saturday (the day before the clock’s change), so they’ll at least go to bed at a normal time. 

Sleep hygiene for kids

If bedtime is becoming a bit of a battleground – or it takes a turn for the worse after the clocks change – Sophie Pickles, a parenting and early years expert for Munchkin,recommended the following:

• No screens, especially in the hour before bedtime. This is because televisions, computer screens, phones and tablets emit blue light which stimulates your child’s brain and suppresses their melatonin levels – the hormone that makes them feel sleepy.
• Read a book or play together instead. Keeping the environment as calm as you possible is key here. Reading before bedtime is not only a relaxing activity but increases language and comprehension skills and promotes mental wellbeing.
• Don’t keep kids up later as they will become overtired and have difficulty falling asleep, may wake more frequently during the night and will often rise earlier in the morning.
• Set boundaries. Bedtime is a common time for children to challenge rules or refuse to do what you’ve asked. It is at this time when they are really tired that they need to feel safe and secure. You can do this by setting boundaries so they know there are clear rules around bedtime. Be kind but firm as you reinforce the routine.

Good luck! Realistically though, I’ll be thinking of you all when I’m up at 4.30am on Sunday...